How to Spend THREE Days in Medellin, Colombia: 3-Day Itinerary

March 13, 2026March 13, 2026 Anjali Wadhwa

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Planning a three-day getaway in Medellin, Colombia? You’re in the right place!

Medellin is the capital of the province of Antioquia. The city is situated between the mountains at an altitude of 1,500 meters. It is often called “The city of eternal spring” because of the pleasant climate all year round.

Medellin was known as one of the most dangerous cities in the world because of the Medellin cartel, led by drug lord Pablo Escobar. However, after the death of Escobar, the city underwent a significant transformation.

Many investments were made in safety, healthcare, art, and cultural projects. Even a large and convenient metro system was built to connect the different parts of the city and make it safer.

Medellin now attracts visitors from all over the world and is a place not to miss when visiting Colombia. Having visited Medellín four times in the last few years, I have a decent amount of experience travelling around the city. So, without further ado, let’s start planning your perfect three days in Medellín. Here’s a suggested itinerary that blends culture, history, food, and a little adventure.

Medellín is one of the best cities to visit in Colombia. Once known as one of the most dangerous cities in the world, it has transformed into a vibrant and cosmopolitan metropolis. Today, you can easily spend several days exploring its diverse sights, engaging activities, excellent restaurants, and charming neighborhoods.

The surroundings of Medellín are just as captivating, offering unique experiences beyond the city limits. This three-day Medellín itinerary is designed to help you explore both the city and its surroundings, ensuring you get the most out of your stay.

Day 1: Explore The City

Start Your Day With Some City Views

Take the metro towards San Antonio Station, the city center. The metro is fast, safe, and easy to use to get around the city. Change to the B line towards San Javier station. From here, you are able to take the cable car (the J line) and get all the way up the mountain, while enjoying incredible views of the city, the surroundings, and its slums.

You’ll get a nice overview of the city’s location between the mountains and realize how big this city actually is! It is best to make a roundtrip, and get back to San Javier station and San Antonio Station afterwards, as you don’t want to walk around in a slum you don’t know.

Get Inspired By Local Art – Fernando Botero

At San Antonio station, you can transfer to the A line and get off at Parque Berrío. From here, it’s a short and easy walk to Plaza Botero, home to the city’s famous outdoor sculptures. Fernando Botero, one of Colombia’s most celebrated artists, is known for his distinctive style featuring voluptuous, exaggerated figures in both paintings and sculptures.

As a Medellín native, Botero donated 23 of his sculptures to the city during its period of urban transformation. What was once a no-go area is now one of Medellín’s most popular and lively destinations, perfect for exploring on foot and snapping photos.

Tip: If you want to dive deeper into Medellín’s art scene, visit the Museo de Antioquia, located right at Plaza Botero. The museum houses an impressive collection of Botero’s works, alongside pieces by other renowned Colombian artists.

For a more immersive experience, consider joining a guided tour—some even include highlights like Pueblito Paisa, Parques del Río, and of course, Plaza Botero.

Explore The City Center

parque de las luces - Medellin Itinerary — Parque de las Luces – Medellin Itinerary

Next on my Medellin itinerary, it’s time to get an impression of the busy city center. Do not spend too much time here, but make sure to include the following sights.

Walk through the busy commercial center, through the shopping street Junín, and the Parque Bolivar with the cathedral.
Visit Parque de las Luces or Plaza Cisneros with 300 metal masts that light up in the evening.
Walk along the administrative center of La Alpujarra with the Monumento de la Raza, an artwork by Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt, two gigantic bronze statues of murdered politicians, and a memorial to all journalists who have been killed by violence over the years.
Around Plaza Mayor, you will find parks and walking boulevards, where it’s all about sustainability. Stroll around and have a coffee to go at one of the many benches.

Of course, you can choose to go on a tour with a guide, but personally, I would recommend to discover the center by yourself to just get an overall idea and explore one of the comunas (slums of Medellin) with a guide to learn more about the city’s past.

Dive Into The History Of Medellin

If you are specifically interested in the tragic history of the city, I recommend visiting the Casa de la Memoria, an impressive museum created to commemorate the many victims of Medellin. The museum will give you lots of information about the war on drugs and the guerrilla war in Colombia. It’s shocking, but it makes you understand so much more about Colombia!

Explore Trendy Neighborhood El Poblado & Enjoy A Traditional Meal

A Store In El Poblado - Medellin Itinerary — A Store In El Poblado – Medellin Itinerary

Use the late afternoon for a stroll through the El Poblado neighborhood. In the streets around Parque Lleras, you’ll find many restaurants, design stores, and coffee places. There are also many restaurant options. If you would like to try some traditional food, try the bandeja paisa at La Hacienda on the Strada.

Bandeja Paisa is a famous local dish with meat, potatoes, beans, avocado, egg, and chicken. It’s a heavy meal, but they serve half portions for visitors to try. Or visit Alambique, a trendy rooftop restaurant with different types of food and great drinks.

Day 2: Visit Peñol de Guatape

This day you want to spend time in the surroundings of Medellin. The area is green, fertile, mountainous, and beautiful to explore. One of the highlights is Peñol de Guatape. This granite rock formation became one of the most famous places of the country, as many Instagram pictures have been taken here. Peñol de Guatepé is a 200m high rock, near the town of Guatape, 2 hours away of Medellín.

You can get to the top of this rock by taking more than 700 steps on a climbable staircase. And yes, it is a pretty tough hike up. But the view is more than rewarding! Once you’ve made it to the top, you have a 360-degree view of the lake and lush environment. It’s breathtaking!

A visit to this rock can be combined with a boat trip on the water reservoir and some hours in the nice town of Guatapé. Guatapé is famous for its steep streets, coffee bars, art shops, and many colorful houses. Every house is a true piece of art, as residents paint their houses in bright colors, and decorate the bottom with fresco like panels called zocalos.

You’ll find decorations such as sunflowers, sheep, horses, and musical instruments. Some of them even tell an entire story. It’s incredibly photogenic, and you could walk around for hours.

Tip: You can visit Guatapé for a day trip from Medellin, but make sure to leave early, so you have a full day to explore. It is also possible to spend the night in Guatapé. There are many lovely guesthouses, and it gives you the chance to leave early in the morning to the Guatapé rock and enjoy the rock with less people.

Day 3 | Visit The Slums Of Medellin And Unwind In Greenery

Visit One Of The Famous Communities – Slums

Use this day for a visit to one of the special comunas, such as Comuna 13 or Comuna 8. These are slums in Medellín, but some of them have been transformed enormously over the years. Comuna 13 used to be one of the most dangerous neighborhoods of Medellin, because of the war on drugs.

Nowadays, it is one of the most visited places in the city because of the great street art and many social projects. The street art is truly amazing. It is best to visit comuna 13 with a local guide to understand more about the history and former life in the Comuna.

You can also choose to visit Comuna 8. This is a community less visited, as you won’t find the popular street art, as in Comuna 13. Your visit to this community will be more about the daily life and meeting the locals.

Tip: Make sure you check on the tour agency and guide beforehand to confirm they have an ethical way of working and contribute to the community you are visiting.

Visit The Botanical Garden Or Parque Arvi For Amazing City Views

If you have some energy left and want to leave the busy city behind, visit the Botanical garden of Medellin or ecological nature preserve Parque Arvi. The botanical garden is a beautiful area of almost 14 hectares with thousands of flowers and hundreds of birds. It belongs in the list with most beautiful botanical gardens in South America. Parque Arví is an ecological nature preserve in the mountains of Medellin.

A cable car takes you to the top, where you have a nice view of the city. You can walk around or sail on one of the lagoons. Both places are perfect to unwind from all the historical and cultural impressions. This activity would be an unforgettable experience for you and is a must in your Medellin itinerary.

Enjoy A Culinary Experience In One Of Medellin’s Top Restaurants

Finish your stay in Medellin, with an amazing culinary experience in one of the best restaurants of the city, such as El Cielo or El Carmen. And definitely try one of the tasting menus, where you will be experiencing the modern Colombian fusion cuisine. Delicious!

So here you have your Medellin itinerary. We hope that this 3 day Medellin itinerary would help you in exploring everything this city has to offer.

Guest Post contributed by Deborah Durrfeld from Passport The World. You can find her on Instagram too.

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How to Spend THREE Days in Medellin, Colombia: 3-Day Itinerary